WAM Internal PC/104 Configuration

Connection Options

Wireless Ethernet (default)

When the WAM turns on, it will request an IP address from the DHCP server running on the wireless access point (AP) installed in or on the WAM. This address is typically: 192.168.nnn.100, and the ssid of the AP is WAM-nnn, where nnn is the serial number of your WAM. You can use a laptop PC or other wireless-enabled device to connect to the AP. You can also log in and configure the AP by going to http://192.168.nnn.30. Username is "admin", password is "WAM". Once logged in to the AP, you can check the IP addresses assigned by DHCP by clicking on the "DHCP" button on the left-hand side of the web page. Your PC’s network name will be listed there, and there should be an entry without a name- that is the WAM PC and its corresponding IP address. This is the address you will use to control the WAM.

Wired Ethernet

The process to enable support for wired ethernet depends on your WAM's safety board type. For revision AE Safety Boards, just unplug the D-Link wireless AP from the WAM's Ethernet port and connect the WAM to your LAN. For revision AD Safety Boards, you will need to make a few changes on the safety board inside the back cover of the WAM:

1)	Turn off power to the WAM
2)	Remove the base cover by releasing the four latches that hold it in place.
3)	Use a 4mm Hex wrench to remove the screw in the upper-left corner of the backplate
4)	The backplate can now swing open on its lower hinge
5)	Remove the safety board cover screws with a small Phillips screwdriver
6)	Lift off the safety board cover
7)	Unplug the wireless Ethernet patch cable from the CPU board (Fig. 1, below)
8)	Plug the wired Ethernet ribbon cable into the CPU board (Fig. 2, below)
9)	Slide switch SW6 toward the inside of the board
10)	Replace the safety board cover, close the backplate, replace the base cover

​Fig. 1 ​Fig. 2

The WAM PC will use now the DHCP server on your network to obtain an IP address. You can use our ​WAM discovery application to identify the WAM's IP address on your network.

Logging in over Ethernet

From a *nix PC, use

ssh -l root <wam-ip-address>

From a Windows PC, use the free ​PuTTY ssh client to connect

Username: root
Password: WAM

Follow the Quick Start guide to run the WAM demonstration program.

Connecting to the WAM using external CANbus

If you wish to control the WAM from an external PC with an installed CANbus card... (unfinished)

Changing WAM configurations (4-DOF / 7-DOF / tool)

The WAM applications each use a single configuration file (btclient/wam.conf) specific to how your WAM is set up. This file is typically a symbolic link (shortcut) to one of several common WAM configuration files in btclient/config/. To update the wam.conf to point to a different configuration file, from the btclient directory type (for example):

ln -sf config/WAM4.conf wam.conf

This will point the wam.conf link to the WAM4.conf file, which describes a 4 Degree-Of-Freedom WAM.

Saving changes made to files on the WAM’s PC/104 computer

The PC in the WAM is running off a flash drive (CompactFlash). Since flash memory has a limited amount of erase/write cycles, the operating system has been configured to save all file changes to RAM. These changes will be discarded when the system is powered off. If you want to save any changes you make, you must type “save” at the command prompt. Your changes will be compressed and saved to a file in /boot/modules/changes/ and restored at the next power up. You should shutdown the system properly ("shutdown -h now", wait 30 seconds) after saving in order to ensure correct operation.

Using the WAM’s auxiliary tool power

The WAM offers 5V and 24V power for end-of-arm tooling. To save system power, the power supplies responsible for generating these tool voltages are disabled by default. These supplies are controlled through the parallel port of the WAM PC. To enable these supplies while logged in to the WAM PC, type:

parashell 0x378 5

The parallel port is located at address 0x378. The 5 Volt supply is switched by pin 1. The 24 Volt supply is switched by pin 3. The "5" is a decimal representation of the binary 00000101 (pins 1 and 3 turned on).

Note that the 24V supply can not be activated when the WAM is in E-STOP mode. You must clear the E-STOP condition (press Shift-Idle on the control pendant) in order to apply 24V.

WAM PC Technical Specifications - internal version

Motherboard: Aaeon PFM-540I
Processor: 500 MHz AMD LX-800 x86-compatible
Memory: 256 MB 200-pin DDR-333 SODIMM
Linux distribution: Slax 5.1.8
Linux kernel: 2.6.16.57
Realtime: Xenomai 2.4RC5
Ethernet: 10/100 Base-T
Wireless: Wifi 802.11 b/g
CANbus: Peak PCAN-PC/104, 2 ports